Representation Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal

Tenants usually represent themselves. You can ask the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal to let another person (such as a tenant advocate) speak for you, but you will need to convince the tribunal member that you need this. You can bring a friend or family member for support.

A landlord may use a real estate agent to represent them. Solicitors may only represent landlords or tenants in special cases.

Right to an interpreterIf you need an interpreter, write this on your application or tell the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal when you get the notice of hearing. The Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal will provide one for free.

You should go to the hearingIt is important to attend the hearing as the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal can make orders that affect you, even if you are not there. If you do not go, you could later find that:

you have been evicted

you have been ordered to pay charges that you did not know about

everything the landlord said was taken as fact – you were not there to give evidence that the landlord was behaving unreasonably or makingfalse claims.

If you apply for a hearing and do not attend, the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunalwill dismiss your application altogether.